Cared For
by Tyretest
Summary: John's POV - Sam stumbles at the Haunted Star and hits her head during the Toxin/Jerry Jax storyline.


Cared For

"_Some things are better left unsaid  
__Some strings are better left undone  
__Some hearts are better left unbroken  
_

_Some lives are better left untouched  
__Some lies are better off believed  
__Some words are better left unspoken"_

Hall & Oates, "Some Things are Better Left Unsaid", _Big Bam Boom_, 1984.

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"He's going to tell me where the cure is. Let's go!" John stated in frustration.

"Alright…" Sam agreed as she struggled to stand up. No sooner had she gained her full height and the world turned from gray to black as she lost her footing.

John watched as Sam crumpled right in front of him and her forehead connected with a solid thud on the edge of the desk in Zacchara's office on the Haunted Star. He couldn't move fast enough to catch Sam as she landed in an unmoving heap on the floor of the office.

"Sam! Sam…"

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He moved her so that she was laid out comfortably on her back. He took off his jacket and made a makeshift pillow for Sam's head. She had a cut on her forehead above her eye, so he went looking for something to use to clean up the wound and found a hand towel in the adjoining bathroom.

John returned to Sam and with the towel and lightly bathed her face and forehead with it, hoping that she would wake up soon. He was worried by the blow she'd taken to the head. It was in that worry he realized how important Sam had become to him and how deep his feelings ran for her. She had crept under his defences, given him the wonderful feeling of being truly connected to someone else for only the second time in his entire life, and had given him the chance to be himself without fear or apologies.

As John was lightly brushing her forehead with the towel, Sam stirred slightly.

"Sam? Hey, there you are." John said with relief as her eyes opened at she moaned.

Sam seemed to take a moment to get her vision to focus and looked up at John.

"Ah. What happened?"

Now stroking the side of her face, John explained.

"You passed out. You hit your head. You've got a little bit of bleeding going on."

Sam moaned again and then tried to sit up. Seeing her movements, John dropped the towel and slipped his right hand behind her head at her neck to support her, while he used his left arm to support her lower back and pull her up towards him.

"Easy, easy. Go easy. You might have a concussion, all right?"

Once she had moved into somewhat of a sitting position, Sam touched her forehead and winced in pain again. John continued to support her with his left arm as he reached up to brush the hair from her forehead gently.

"Let me see. You've just got a little blood here." John told her as he tried to clean up the cut.

Sam winced and moaned in pain again. Even as he tended to her, he knew he was causing Sam pain. He apologized but didn't stop. After a moment, he asked her the question that mattered most to him at the moment.

"How are you feeling?"

"Out of it, I guess. Yeah. Yeah." Sam replied haltingly.

"It's understandable. You took a pretty hard fall." John told her gently. He continued to watch her eyes for any sign that there was a more serious problem. Sam's eyes cleared and changed to a more steely and determined look.

"You should go. I'll wait here until I feel better. You should go. Please."

"Nice try. Nice try. I'm not leaving you." John talked over top of her pleas until she stopped.

She was looking into his eyes and not saying a word. He was trapped by her gaze. He couldn't move, nor could he think straight. All John could do was feel, and what he felt scared him. It felt that Sam could see into his soul, and John knew that he was in danger of losing his heart to this woman. He didn't want to resist the pull to her, but his worry for her welfare kicked in belatedly and he sighed as he broke eye contact.

"We need to get you to a doctor, alright." John tried to convince her again.

"Yeah, look I'm fine." Sam tried once again to convince him, making John smile a little inside. Lord this woman could be stubborn when she wanted to be.

"Tell that to your head." He told bluntly.

"But Jerry Jax.." she started to try and argue with John again.

"No! Listen to me. I'm getting you out of here. I'm not leaving you, allright. Now let's go." John stated in a tone that brooked no further argument. The argument finally ended, John swept Sam up into his arms.

"It's Okay." He reassured her as he carried her out the door of the office and headed towards the dock.

As he headed off the deck of the ship and onto the docks, Sam snuggled in closer to him and held on a little tighter. For just a moment, John rested his head against hers and took in a deep, steadying breath. That moment would have to keep him for now, but he knew they weren't done yet.

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_Author's Note: One more done. I like these. They're a lot quicker and easier than an entire story _


End file.
